Mailer type business forms, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,289,972 and 5,513,795, particularly those made from a single sheet of paper, are becoming increasingly more popular. As they become widely used, there is a need to find alternative constructions to suit particular needs, and to refine the construction so as to facilitate their production and use. For example, compared to the single sheet Z-fold mailer shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,972, it is desirable to be able to provide a Z-fold label with a reply envelope having a larger size to allow a larger remittance piece to be returned. It is also desirable to provide a reply envelope that is adapted to be opened by automated envelope openers, and to variably image the outgoing address, and preferably at the same time imaging the reply address or any personalized information necessary, with a single pass through a simplex printer (e.g. laser printer) and without the need for removable labels to cover up the outgoing address on the reply envelope (which is often required by postal service regulations), as known per se from U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,795.
According to the present invention, a mailer type business form intermediate is provided which produces a mailer with a larger reply envelope than antecedent forms, allows opening of the reply envelope by automated envelope openers of a standard construction, allows variable imaging using a simplex printer of outgoing address and other information, and/or does not require the use of labels to cover up the outgoing address indicia on the reply envelope.
According to one aspect of the present invention a mailer type business form intermediate is provided comprising the following components: A substantially quadrate sheet of paper having top, bottom, and first and second side edges, and first and second faces. First and second substantially parallel lines of weakness adjacent, but spaced from and substantially parallel to, the side edges to define first and second edge strips. First and second fold lines extending substantially parallel to each other and the top and bottom edges, defining the sheet of paper into (at least) first, second, and third panels, at least the first and second panels being substantially equal size, the first panel between the top edge and the first fold line, the second panel between the first and second fold lines, and the third panel between the second fold line and the bottom edge. First adhesive or cohesive patterns disposed in the edge strips to hold the panels in a Z-fold configuration when Z-folded about the first and second fold lines. Second adhesive or cohesive patterns disposed on first face of at least one of the first and second panels for forming the first and second panels into a reply envelope having an insertion opening adjacent the first line of weakness, upon Z-folding of the sheet about the fold lines. A reply envelope flap outside the area encompassed by the second adhesive or cohesive patterns, and flap sealing adhesive disposed on the first face at the flap. And the reply envelope having a height substantially equal to the extent of either of the first and second panels parallel to the side edges.
The intermediate also typically comprises only one of tacking or no adhesive or cohesive provided along or adjacent the first fold line on the first face, so that a reply envelope formed by Z-folding the sheet may be readily opened by an automated envelope opener. Outgoing address indicia is preferably imaged on the first panel second face and is upright when the top edge is at the top of the sheet. Reply address indicia is also preferably imaged on the second panel second face and is upright when the top edge is at the top of the sheet. In order to avoid the use of labels for covering up the outgoing address on the reply envelope, etc., the intermediate also further preferably comprises a third line of weakness substantially parallel to the side edges and closer to the first side edge than the second side edge, the third line of weakness defining the reply envelope flap and defining a tear off stub or strip. Preferably, the third line of weakness passes through the outgoing address indicia, and the reply envelope flap is formed in the second panel, and the tear off strip is formed in the first panel: The reply address indicia preferably is on the opposite side of the third line of weakness from the first side edge. The third line of weakness is positioned with respect to the first side edge so that when the sheet is Z-folded about the first and second fold lines, and the edge strips and the tear off strip are removed, the reply envelope flap substantially completely covers what is left of the outgoing address indicia after removal of the tear off strip.
While the first and second adhesive or cohesive patterns may utilize any suitable type of adhesive (such as heat activated or pressure sensitive or rewettable (adhesive), or cohesive, preferably they comprise pressure activated cohesive, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,918,128, 5,190,818, 5,314,944, or 5,427,851. The flap adhesive preferably comprises rewettable adhesive, or pressure sensitive adhesive covered by a release strip. The sheet is preferably dimensioned so that the top and bottom edges have a length of about 8-9 inches, and the side edges have a length of about 12-15 inches, preferred constructions being legal size sheets (e.g. 81/2 inches by 13 or 14 inches), although A4 paper also being possible.
Preferably the third panel is substantially the same size as the first and second panels, and the intermediate further comprises only one of tacking or no adhesive or cohesive on the second face adjacent or along one or both of the bottom edge on the first fold line on the second panel, to make the third panel easy to detach from the rest of the intermediate once received by the outgoing addressee of the mailer form intermediate. Other panels may also be provided after the first panel (so that the bottom edge comprises a fold line), with associated adhesive or cohesive to hold the components together.
The intermediate according to the invention also comprises a number of permutations of the above recited structure, including where the feature of only one of tacking or no adhesive or cohesive provided along or adjacent the first fold line on the first face so that a reply envelope formed by Z-folding the sheet may be readily opened by an ordinary envelope opener, and/or the particular configuration of the third line of weakness and the reply envelope flap, which allow the outgoing address indicia to be partially removed, and the remainder covered, in the normal use of the reply envelope (as known per se from U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,795), as characterizing features.
Also, the invention relates to a mailer type business form made from an intermediate as described above, formed by Z-folding a sheet of paper about the first and second fold lines and sealing the first and second panels of adhesive or cohesive, so that the second face of the first panel forms the front of the mailer type business and the first face of the third panel forms the rear of the mailer type business form.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a highly advantageous intermediate for a mailer type business form, and a mailer made by Z-folding the mailer type business form intermediate. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.